An idea I had for a follow up to the end of "The Exchange" Episode where Cinnamon was captured during a mission. Slight spoilers for the episode if no one has seen it but focus is primarily on the aftermath. C/R

As the sound of the deadbolt closing clicked through the apartment Rollin emerged from the bedroom, an angry look on his face. "The nerve of him to put the moves on you at a time like this," Rollin scowled as he looked at the door and then his wife, not pleased that their team leader had just made advances towards her so soon after such a strenuous mission when she would obviously be vulnerable. No matter how Cinnamon tried to explain it, he had not been able to dismiss as easily the obvious signs that Jim's interest far surpassed their roles as teammates, but he had been willing to turn a blind eye and let Cinnamon handle the issue with knowledge that he was ready to step in if needed. There were times he almost felt sorry for Jim, and yet other times he almost found the efforts entertaining because unlike Jim he knew who truly held the beautiful agents heart.

Cinnamon chuckled at her husband's tone, hoping to lighten the mood to where it had been before. "But Rollin, I am irresistible you know, it's my job," she teased lightly, quickly giving him a chaste kiss on the lips as a means of assurance. Seeing traces of a scowl still in place she smiled and repeated the gesture, lingering a moment longer until she felt him start to respond to her kiss before she pulled away again with a smile on her lips. She was pleased with herself as she saw that the scowl had been replaced by the warm loving look from earlier before her stream of guests had begun. With long practiced silent communication they parted as she double checked the lock on the door and turned off the main lights while he moved to turn off a lamp and ensure the windows were locked before they moved towards their spacious bedroom, easing off their robes as they crawled into bed and huddled together, passion temporarily abated as they relished the security of just holding each other in their private and secure domain.

"Are you ready to talk about it?" Rollin finally said softly as he rhythmically caressed her shoulder while she curled closely against him, opening the door yet again for Cinnamon to let down her guard and share about her kidnapping.

At his gentle words and soothing touch Cinnamon felt the walls she had clung to begin to drop as she began describing the details of her capture, his heartbeat pounding in her ear providing her with a sense of security as she talked. Rollin listened attentively, noting when the tone began to shift from the more clinical description of how she had been captured when the alarm was triggered, to the more emotional sharing when she moved from the capture into the details of how her captors had begun threatening and torturing her. Rollin felt an involuntary shudder run through her body and pulled her closer as she described the terror she felt being put in the small cell and then into the small shaft. Cinnamon continued to describe the experience and did not try to hold back the tears, taking advantage of the rare moment to be completely free in her expression as she let her words flow as freely as the tears.

As Cinnamon finally talked openly about her experience, the fear, sadness, anger all poured out, in whispered tones she also verbalized the guilt she still carried of almost betraying her team. As he listened to her talk and heard the raw emotion in her voice Rollin's heart ached for his wife as she described the terror she had felt, he also had to hold back feelings of anger towards the men who had done this to her, reminding himself that right now was about her feelings and that his time to share would come later. It was times like this he wanted to suggest they stick with their entertainment careers and let other spies take the risks. He murmured reassuringly in her ear as she clung tightly too him, moisture from her tears damp on his chest. Times like this were rare, but comforting to them both when all facades could be let down in total trust.

"I feel so much better." Cinnamon finally stated, feeling as if a huge weight had rolled off her shoulders before they both enjoyed a few moments of reflective silence to digest all that she had said. "Now I want you to tell me how you're doing?" She finally nudged her husband knowing he had been through an emotional roller coaster as well.

"I think I said it all earlier." Rollin tried to sound convincing as he referenced his earlier declaration of fear and remorse while they were at the bathtub.

"No, I don't think you did." Cinnamon replied as she caressed the side of his face and shifted to look into his eyes with the illumination of moonlight highlighting his face through the window shades. Rollin knew both the tone and expression of determination in her eyes well enough to know there was no point in arguing and it was a night for full disclosure. One thing that could be both maddening and endearing about their relationship was the way they would switch roles, each taking turns providing emotional support to the other. Between the stress of the entertainment industry and the rigors of their missions it was imperative that they be able to both give and receive emotional support freely.

Relenting to her request, Rollin's normally smooth voice began in slow almost stilted tones as he began trying to describe the feelings of helplessness he had experienced. While the actor was a skilled speaker in many situations, verbalizing his deeper emotions and thoughts had always been more difficult as it made him feel vulnerable, not a common feeling for the man of a thousand faces who could easily pretend to be someone else and display a wide range of emotions as needed for both stage and mission alike. Long ago the actor had learned that oft times the hardest face to wear was his own.

As Rollin talked he shared about the deep fear and horror he had experienced when he saw her captured moving into the guilt he had felt at having to run and leave her behind. As the words flowed more freely Rollin also found himself sharing how hard he had to work to focus on the steps of the plan for her rescue, the fight to play the necessary parts to get the leverage they needed to free her. He finished by telling the blonde in his arms how he was still angry at the men who had mistreated her in addition to how hard he had struggled to hold himself back from grabbing and holding her before they had reached the sanctuary of their home. As her husband shared his own vulnerabilities Cinnamon provided ongoing encouragement by bestowing small chaste reassuring kisses on the exposed skin she could easily reach near his shoulder and chin, feeling the tense muscles in his neck as she eased him through sharing the rest of his story until he finished, finally reaching a point where they both simply lay in an almost exhausted silence after the physical and emotional turmoil they had both experienced in the last 24 hours that had almost literally brought them around the world from an unstable

The comfortable silence was broken as Rollin sensed a change in the mood of the blonde still wrapped in his arms as she pressed a gentle kiss to the sensitive spot below his ear, her kisses became more lingering and purposeful as she made her way around his ear, cheek, chin and shoulder letting her warm breath hit his neck. Even as he felt his heartbeat start to accelerate he tried to pull away. "You've had a long day, I know you're tired." He assured her, hoping she didn't feel like he expected anything given the circumstances.

Cinnamon smiled lovingly as she rolled on top of her fellow agent and husband, green eyes meeting blue to ensure that there was no way of mistaking her intent and motives. "It was good for us to talk about what happened, but we have talked enough, now I want to start forgetting" she said huskily, grinding herself against her husband as she leaned down to kiss him hungrily. Rollin didn't argue, his strong urge to reconnect with his wife after almost losing her causing him to eagerly respond despite their respective exhaustion, happy to enjoy the relative calm and security their normal lives would provide until the next call came and plunged them back into the dangerous and unpredictable world of espionage.

The End

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